Chapter 10
Bloodright
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The sun rose behind the three figures as they made their way up the winding path and toward the palace’s gate. They’d walked all through the night and Corvis and Lunis seemed about ready to collapse as the guards opened the gate for them. Kail didn’t feel tired, in fact, he felt irritably invigorated as he pondered the many lies it seemed his Father had told.
They strode into the sitting room, just as his Father entered from the opposite side, a wide smile on his face. “My boys, your back! And with news of a great victory I trust.”
“Not quite,” said Kail. “Dad, I’ve seen such a small portion of this world, but what I have seen has caused me to second guess much of what you led me to believe. We’re not seen as an empire but laughed at as cultists. People have claimed that you’ve been abducting and sacrificing humans and Hijabwa. I even met a traveling chef who claimed the conflict with the Hijabwa was started by you.”
His Father’s smile disappeared, and as Kail stared at him his frown deepened as blood gaze activated:
Name: Dainith Valien, RACE: Human, CLASS: Blood Preacher, Level 8.
Kail just stood there, a shocked expression on his face.
“Are you okay? Your eyes are red,” said Corvis, concern evident in his tone as he looked at Kail.
“Our Father’s been lying to us,” said Kail. “He has the same power he claimed was gifted by the angels to me alone.”
“What? No,” said Corvis. “Getting you back was so important because you were the only one who could lead our family too…” He trailed off as a chuckle came from their left.
Valwin and Vasangra entered the room side by side, Valwin suppressing his mirth as he spoke. “Well it’s about time the cat’s out of the bag, just wait til you learn about-”
“Silence!” bellowed Dainith.
The six of them stood there in silence for a brief moment, Dainith seeming about to speak, but Corvis beating him to it as he stared at his Father in disbelief. “You have God’s gift?”
“Yes,” said Dainith. “But that changes nothing. I worked so hard to summon Kail back because he is my son, your brother, and our family’s future.”
“You think I’m upset because of bringing Kail back?” Corvis’s voice was thick with emotion. “You lied to me! Compromised my ability to make strategic decisions! And you two knew?” he reeled about to face Valwin and Vasangra.
“Of course,” said Vasangra. “You might want to sit down Corvis, and calm yourself so your heart doesn’t explode from what is about to be said.”
Dainith glared at Valwin and Vasangra. “Be careful.”
“Why?” asked Valwin. “You're firmly outnumbered Father, and I think it’s time my brothers learn the truth. Angels didn’t make us rulers, demons did.”
As Kail stared at Valwin, blood gaze activated once again:
Name: Valwin Valien, RACE: Human, CLASS: Blood Blade, Level 4.
“What?” asked Corvis weakly.
“The gems inside our heads were traded to us by demons, not gifted by angels,” said Vasangra, and as she spoke, Kail’s red eyes focused on her:
Name: Vasangra Valien, RACE: Human, CLASS: Blood Binder, Level 4.
“Our heads?” asked Corvis.
“They have them too,” said Kail as he gestured at Valwin and Vasangra.
“So am I just some fool to be left in the dark?” asked Corvis as he glared at his siblings and then at his Father. “Why?”
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Dainith inclined his head toward Valwin and Vasangra. “The twins were weak when they were born and I feared they may not survive, so I did what I had to to ensure they’d be healthy.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I’ve been struggling to defend our land when the three of you could have driven back our enemies at any time.”
“You have always been my strongest child Corvis,” said Dainith. “Even without an implant you possessed the strength needed to lead our troops.”
Corvis shook his head. “You all lied to me, left me to do everything alone, believing I was the only one with the strength to keep us safe when that was just a fucking lie.”
“Why didn’t you give Corvis an implant?” asked Kail.
Dainith sighed. “Because I had nothing left to give in exchange for it.”
“Nothing left to give the demons? Did they get tired of all the innocent people you were abducting and sacrificing to them?”
“No one is innocent,” said Dainith coldly. “But yes, common folk only served to gain me two implants. The other two cost me more than any of you can imagine, and gaining a fifth has since been impractical.”
“What did they cost you?” asked Kail.
‘I will not be questioned by my own children,” said Dainith.
Corvis looked between his siblings and Father, an expression of pure devastation on his face. He opened his mouth but then shut it, seeming at a loss for words.
Kail locked eyes with Dainith. “How can you expect me to trust you after learning of all these lies you've told us?”
“Because we are Vailiens, and I have worked too hard to make our name mean something to allow that legacy to end. We must stand united if we are to expand our empire and leave a lasting mark on this world.”
“United as equals?” asked Valwin.
“Of course not,” said Dainith.
“It is as Kail said Father,” said Vasandra. “We are not respected nor acknowledged as you delude yourself into believing that we are. If we are to change that than we will need a new leader.”
“I am your Father!” bellowed Dainith. “I made you each who you are! You wouldn't even exist without me, and if by some miracle you did then you would be no greater than peasants!”
Corvis turned and stormed from the room. Kail glanced at Lunis who looked very much as if she wanted to sink into the ground and disappear.
“Perhaps it’s best we revisit this conversation when everyone’s calmed down,” said Vasangra.
Kail turned his back on them, smiling sadly at Lunis. “Come on, you can have my room.”
As he walked past her, her hand grasped his. The tension, anger, and stress within him diminished slightly as they walked from the room and toward the steps.
“Don’t worry, this is just an average morning with my family.”
“Actually?”
“No, but it feels like that sometimes.”
As they arrived before the door to his room he released her hand. “We can figure out where you want to go whenever you wake up.”
“I’m not stealing your bed, you’ve been awake just as long as me,” she said as she opened the door, glancing at his bed. “There’s plenty of room.”
“I should go find Corvis, he shouldn’t be alone right now.”
“From what I just witnessed it seems like your brother’s entire life was just revealed to be a lie, it’s likely best that he have some time to process everything before talking about it.”
Kail considered, then nodded. “You’re right.”
It felt wonderful to be rid of his extremely blood stained clothes and sink into a bed where he would likely be safe from a midnight abduction. He suppressed all the turmoil caused by his chaotic family and forced himself to relax.
***
Dainith stood before the large oval mirror within his room, staring at the reflection within. “I’m losing them.”
His reflection shifted, morphing into the image of his blind and elderly mother sleeping in her bed. “No.”
The image morphed once more, this time revealing Corvis riding through the gate and away from the palace. Tears formed in Dainith’s eyes. “No, not even for Corvis, not for anything.”
“He will hate you forever,” whispered a harsh voice.
“No,” said Dainith. “I will find another way to unite them all behind me.”
The image shifted back to that of his sleeping mother. She was not but a blind old husk of her former self, but he couldn’t sacrifice her, not as long as he retained hope of her restoration. “I will find another way.”
“Commit this deed and your gift will return Corvis to you,” whispered the harsh voice. “Commit this deed and Kail’s loyalty will be bound to your cause, for a time.”
“Bound how?”
“Through blood. This will be your last opportunity to unite your family.”
“By sacrificing even more of it…”
“One final sacrifice to birth a legacy of supremacy.”
Bloody tears flowed freely from Dainith’s red eyes. “Do it.”
The mirror turned red, and then a scaley black hand inscribed with red runes emerged from it, a black implant lying in its palm. Dainith reached out, plucking the implant from the demon’s hand. “I do this to unite my family.”
The hand retreated, disappearing into the red mirror. Dainith stood there, staring at the implant for which he’d sacrificed so much.